echo.echo This procedure will first backup yourecho current non-working WinXP OS Partition.echo.echo Then it will verify that image.echo.echo Then the most recent backup of yourecho WinXP OS Partition will be restored.echo.echo Then you will boot back to WinXP.echo.echo If you have previously used this function,echo the previous bad OS backup will be deleted,echo and be replaced by this new backup of the echo current bad OS Partition.echo.echo Do you wish to continue? A "No" responseecho will cause a reboot, and loading of theecho first Main Menu. You can then echo choose to reboot to Windows or make other choices.pausechoice /c:yn Do you wish to continue?if errorlevel 2 goto rebootif exist g:\bad_os\nul deltree /y g:\bad_osif not exist g:\bad_os\nul md g:\bad_osc:\ghost.exe -script=c:\script2.txt -zif errorlevel 1 goto Problemgoto bootxp

Using *script* files with Ghost allows multiple commands to be carried out by Ghost without having Ghost unload and then reload for each command in a batch file--which could be done also--just speeds things up a bit.

I don't currently boot from a DOS partition on the HDD because I'm using my primary slots for test OSs.

Then BING is worth considering. You can have 5, 6 or even 200 primary partitions. I've been reluctant to accept unlimited primary partitions but I've tested it so many times that I'm now comfortable with the concept. But it took time.

When you set up a boot item in BING you have to choose which 4 primary partitions will take up the partition slots for that item and BING puts them into LBA-0 for that session. (The full primary partition information is stored in the EMBR). When you look in Disk Management, all partitions that aren't in the four slots show as unallocated space. It's ingenious. However, all partitioning must be done with BING when you have unlimited primaries enabled.

This is exciting. You and I can run our DOS restores without a DOS partition on the computer. I'm just running my second IFD restore on my test computer after having deleted the DOS partition. The restore was started from a batch file.

Basically you create an "image" of your DOS partition and boot from this file.

Quote:

Example 1: Start with a partition already containing a bootable copy of DOS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In this example, it's assumed we already have a partition containing abootable copy of DOS. The goal is to copy the DOS partition to a file, and then boot from that file using BOOTFILE. The steps below will listand explain the TBOSDT and BOOTFILE commands required to accomplish this.

1. Use TBOSDT to copy the DOS partition into a file:

copy partition 0 0x1 d:\partcopy.bin /b

The command line above runs the "copy partition" function to copy thepartition with ID 0x1 on hard drive 0 into the file d:\partcopy.bin.The /b option adds 1 sector to the file in preparation for using it withthe BOOTFILE utility. That extra sector is used by BOOTFILE to save the original MBR when the file is booted from. Note that partition ID numbers can be determined for a given hard drive by using the LIST HD command in TBOSDT. Example: list hd 0

2. Use TBOSDT to mount the file created in step 1 as drive 0:

mount 0: d:\partcopy.bin

3. Use TBOSDT to copy the *DOS/TBOS* version of bootfile.exe to the mounted file system:

copy file bootfile.exe 0:

4. Use TBOSDT to create or modify the autoexec.bat file:

set textline 0:\autoexec.bat "bootfile.exe" /b

In the above command, the SET TEXTLINE command is used to insert the line"bootfile.exe" in the autoexec.bat file. That line is necessary in orderto restore the original MBR after the file is booted from - so that the next reboot will boot the system normally again.

If autoexec.bat already exists, the command will add the quoted text as thefirst line in the file. If autoexec.bat does not already exist, the commandwill create the file, and then write the quoted text to it. If desired, theSET TEXTLINE command can be used to add/delete other lines in autoexec.bat atthis time.

5. Be sure to EXIT from TBOSDT at this point so that drive 0: is unmounted.Exiting TBOSDT automatically unmounts the drive.

6. Run the *Windows* version of BOOTFILE to boot the system from the file:

bootfile d:\partcopy.bin (full path to partcopy.bin must be given)

The command above updates the MBR to boot from d:\partcopy.bin, and theninitiates a system reboot. Because of the way d:\partcopy.bin was updatedin steps 3 and 4, bootfile.exe and autoexec.bat will be in place, and bootingthe file should be successful. On the next reboot, the system should bootnormally, the same as before.

Make sure partcopy.bin is created on the first HD so you have a first HD boot. partcopy.bin can be edited with UltraISO etc if you need to change paths or batch files. Other TeraByte software isn't needed.

Very interesting--so to make sure I'm following the above--this procedure creates a file that the boot sequence can read so as to create a *virtual boot partition* -- so no floppy boot disk or bootable CD/DVD--and when the system re-boots--you're back in your regular Windows partition.

Sounds like a similar solution that Ghost 2003 uses in its Windows interface.

Does this procedure require that you leave an open Master Boot Partition primary slot, unused and free--like Ghost 2003--I would imagine that must be the case!

My WinXP was 2 GB, not 3 GB. The partcopy.bin file boots to WinXP, programs work and everything looks normal. I can see the partitions on the second HD but I can't see the other partitions on the first HD. In Disk Management the active WinXP partition is in the position of the data drive (a logical volume) that contains partcopy.bin. Other areas of Disk 0 are shown as Unallocated Space.

The easiest way yet to do an unattended restore. You don't need a DOS partition at any stage or a dual boot or to copy the OS partition. All that's needed is a 1 MB bootable file created with the TeraByte OS Deployment Tool Suite. This file contains the IFD exe, the IFD command line and bootndos.exe.

From Windows you run the bootable file and your computer shuts down, runs the restore and boots into the restored Windows.

You back yet? I've done a few unattended restores with Ghost 2003. One using a DOS partition and the other using the bootable "image" of the DOS partition.

I had an interesting experience along the way. I didn't understand the Ghost command line adequately and overwrote 4 partitions with a restore. So I went from having two WinXPs, a data partition and a DOS partition to having a single WinXP taking up the whole HD. Fortunately I had a first track backup in BING which gave me my partitions back and all I had to do was restore a WinXP image to the first partition as that OS wouldn't boot.

I just wanted to report that Ghost 2003 joins IFD and Drive SnapShot as definite unattended restore apps.

PS For Drive SnapShot you need ntfsdos.exe in DOS to access your image in a NTFS partition.

How big are the image files--does the program leave out unnecessary files like the hibernation file and the swap file--and empty space--but restores everything needed in its proper place?

I guess you are asking about IFD. File size is about the same as Ghost, pagefile and hibernation file aren't included. Partition restore can be resized to fill unallocated space if needed.

I mentioned a 1 MB bootable file. Great to use with IFD but unfortunately Snapshot and Ghost can't run from this file. All three apps can run from the "copy" of the DOS partition. This is a .BIN file the same size as the DOS partition. So if DOS is 100 MB, you have a 100 MB .BIN file. The .BIN can be edited in UltraISO so can be extensively changed after its creation. Files can be added or deleted. Typically your image/ restore batch files. When the .BIN is run from Windows it causes a shutdown, a boot to DOS (the DOS in the .BIN), the appropriate batch file runs and then Windows boots.

I know your interest is Ghost so here is my rough effort in batch files for restore and image. They work in the test computer.